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Daily Archives: May 8, 2013

Les Misérables (1935)

Posted on May 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

Les Misérables
Directed by Richard Boleslawski
1935/USA
20th Century Pictures
First viewing

Jean Valjean: Remember to love each other, always. There’s scarcely anything else in life but that.

Hollywood adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel starring Fredric March as Jean Valjean and Charles Laughton as Inspector Javert with Cedric Hardwicke as the Bishop, Rochelle Hudson as Cosette and Francis Drake as Eponine. The film makers managed to fit the plot into a 108-minute feature film by completely eliminating the Thenardiers, the innkeepers who mistreated little Cosette and went on to hound Jean Valjean. The film, which benefited from cinematography by Gregg Toland, was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Editing.

Les Miserables 1

Two more different interpretations of Jean Valjean could not be seen than those of Fredric March and Harry Bauer, who played the role in the 1934 French film. Bauer says very little and March can scarcely stop talking. That is not to say March is bad, he is very good. Laughton is outstanding and restrained, playing Javert as a neurotic seeking to compensate for his low birth by a rigid adherence to the law. I could have done without the celestial choir when Valjean has his redemptive revelation. On the whole, I can recommend this film, though if you are going to pick just one I would say to definitely go for the 1934 version directed by Raymond Bernard.

Here is a very interesting article on film adaptations of Les Miserables. I was surprised there have been quite so many! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptations_of_Les_Mis%C3%A9rables

Clips from the film available at TCM: http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/253377/Les-Miserables-Movie-Clip-Emile-Javert.html

David Copperfield (1935)

Posted on May 8, 2013 | 2 comments

David Copperfield
Directed by George Cukor
1935/USA
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Repeat viewing

[box] Mr. Micawber: Copperfield, you perceive before you, the shattered fragments of a temple once called Man. The blossom is blighted. The leaf is withered. The God of Day goes down upon the dreary scene. In short, I am forever floored.[/box]

An MGM adaptation of the Dickens novel, this film follows the life of David Copperfield from his posthumous birth to a childlike widow, to the cruel treatment by his stepfather, friendship with the Micawbers, eventual home with his aunt, and young adulthood. This was one of those productions that allowed the studio to show off its vast resources of talent in the many character parts. With Freddy Bartholomew as the young David, Edna May Oliver as Aunt Betsey Trotwood, Basil Rathbone as Murdstone, Jessie Ralph as Peggoty, Lionel Barrymore as Dan Peggoty, W.C. Fields as Micawber, Elsa Lanchester as Clickett, Roland Young as Uriah Heep, Margaret O’Sullivan as Dora and many, many more.

It is impossible to convey the story of the novel in a two hour movie and so the ending, in particular, seems rushed. Freddie Bartholomew can be very touching at times and a little too much of a good thing at others. That said, there are some wonderful performances here. Basil Rathbone is absolutely chilling as Murdstone, quite different from his swashbuckling villains, and Edna May Oliver is hilarious as the intimidating but tender Aunt Betsey. Finally, it’s a treat to see W.C. Fields as Micawber playing quite the devoted husband and father to his brood! I enjoyed this.